Disembarkment issues... ideas??

[NoelsCat]

Our flight home leaves at 5 p.m.

 

We will have an 11 month old, a 2 year old, a 13 year old, 5 able-bodied adults, a 79 year old and a mentally disabled 55 year-old and ALL THEIR LUGGAGE -- from the point of disembarkment until 2 hours before the flight.

 

What to do?

 

How late is the absolute latest we can get off the ship?

What is the absolute earliest we can check our luggage at the airport?

 

Any ideas on how to handle all of this?

 

TIA

[kaseykahnefan]

I am not sure what time is the absolute latest time one can get off ship is. I think it is probably somewhere between 10 and 11 or so though. That is a wild guess based on what time they let the next group board and the zone numbers I saw on my last one and what time we got off ship. So depending on how long it takes to get to the airport from the terminal and how you are getting there will depend on how long you have until you can check your luggage.

 

Maybe here is a suggestion.

 

Put one adult in charge of the 11 month old. Put another adult in charge of the 2 year old. That leaves three free able bodies adults. Okay so then put one adult on charge of the 55 year old (assuming of course this person needs assistance). Two adults left. The last two adults and the thirteen year old can help keep and eye on the luggage. I am guess the elder is still in good condition if they are cruising. My grandma went on a cruise when she was 83 and did great.

 

That would be my suggestion... (in a perfect world it might work).... lol...

 

good luck....

[abba_dabba_doo]

Where are you flying home from? That may help people to give suggestions as to what may be around the area to do. Or am I missing the point and you don't need anything to do all day, you're just wondering how to handle it all??:confused:

 

I actually have the same issue...granted not as many people as you. Our only choices for flights are 11:00 and 6:00 and I'm thinking we may not make it to the airport in time for the 11:00 and I don't want to be rushing and worried, but on the other hand what do we do all day until the 6:00 flight w/2 young and tired kids?? We're flying out of Orlando (ship is in Port Canaveral).

[NoelsCat]

I guess the big issue is what am I going to do with all the luggage and keep everyone content for the day before we can actually go to the airport

[kaseykahnefan]

How far is the airport from the cruise terminal? That might help to figure things out.

[Paleochick]

Our flight home leaves at 5 p.m.

 

We will have an 11 month old, a 2 year old, a 13 year old, 5 able-bodied adults, a 79 year old and a mentally disabled 55 year-old and ALL THEIR LUGGAGE -- from the point of disembarkment until 2 hours before the flight.

 

What to do?

 

How late is the absolute latest we can get off the ship?

What is the absolute earliest we can check our luggage at the airport?

 

Any ideas on how to handle all of this?

 

TIA

 

We had this problem after disembarking at Port Everglades. We hired a limo company ($66/hr included the gratuity). They drove us to some places I had researched ahead of time (including a fun lunch place). The driver picked us up in an SUV (it held our luggage...you'd need, perhaps, two). While we did our thing, the driver sat in the parking lot and waited for us. It was nice to not have to worry about storing luggage at the airport. The driver picked us up right at the port. We were off the ship at 930. I think everyone would have been off by 1030. Look at the North American Home Ports section of the message board. Ask people in that forum (for your home port) if they can recommend a limo company. It was the best $200 we spent on the trip. You really have to research your home port for things to do for your group. The driver didn't have good ideas. I'm glad I had done my homework.

[Paleochick]

And, have you considered a post-cruise excursion? Often there are good excursions offered by the cruiseline. They carry your luggage and take you to places like The Everglades. That tour returns you to the airport at around 3, I believe.

[wrp96]

They try to have everybody off the ship by 10:30am. Also, you'll have to be out of your room by 8am so you'll want to plan out that morning.

 

Check into a private tour in Ft. Lauderdale or a day room at a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Also, what airline are you flying? RCCL has the onboard luggage valet service which would come in extremely handy for your group, if your airline participates. You are checked in onboard the ship, and once you are through customs you drop off your luggage at a truck which takes it to the airport and you are free to do what you want. This will save you having to check in at FLL and would mean you wouldn't have to get to the airport quite so early. The cost is $20 per person. Southwest is also now offering pier check in (you'd have to wait in line at the pier, but you'd still be free of your luggage).

[abba_dabba_doo]

Just thought I'd post this link to the RCI board where someone posted the same question. You may find some good advice in here :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=654162

[NoelsCat]

OMG, you guys are so great... so many good ideas!

 

Here are some specifics: We are sailing via RCCI -- we are at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale-- so the airport isn't that far. I have considered an excursion (Everglades) but am leary with two little ones, a disabled senior and a mentally retarded 50-something -- but maybe I am wrong. Also the expense of that for 10 people is pretty high -- just to blow some time. Two limos is cheaper but still pretty high considering I would probably need two for all the luggage and 10 people.

 

I am very very very interested in the luggage trasfer to my airline -- that would really help because then we could take cabs/rent a car for the day. How exactly do I set that up? Do I call the airline or RCCI?

 

Thanks again. You all are great.

[crusinmama06]

I am very very very interested in the luggage trasfer to my airline -- that would really help because then we could take cabs/rent a car for the day. How exactly do I set that up? Do I call the airline or RCCI?

 

Thanks again. You all are great.

 

It all depends if your airline participates. You might want to call RCCL to see if it's one of the airlines. I can't remember them off the top of my head.

 

You do not need to pre-register for this option. They send a sign up paper around to the cabins the night before debarkation. It has all of the info on it.

 

But call RCCL to find out the airlines.

 

Also, some airports do not allow you to arrive more than 2-3 hours before the flight. So you may not be allowed into the airport, with 10 people and all of that luggage :eek: Could you imagine!

[tricialee]

What about a day rate at one of the local hotels? I thought most hotels around airports had one. Make sure it has a pool and a spa, or gym. Between that, and having a sit down lunch, you could kill most of the day.

[larronry]

I've never heard of Ft. Lauderdale not allowing people in before 2 to 3 hours before their flight or at least nothing has been mentioned when I've watched the news.

 

Depending on the time of year even a day rate could be pretty high at a hotel because of the the tourist season.

 

I'm hoping that the cruise line can get your luggage to the airport because I've heard the later the flight the better off you are for that service so you are a perfect candidate for that.

[wrp96]

I've never heard of Ft. Lauderdale not allowing people in before 2 to 3 hours before their flight or at least nothing has been mentioned when I've watched the news.

 

The earliest you can check in for a flight at FLL is 4 hours in advance. For some airlines (Spirit, US Air, and a few others) it is only 2-3 hours in advance. You can still enter the airport but you'll be stuck outside security waiting to get in line to wait to check in if you arrive too early at FLL.

[Kerry's Girls]

I had this happen once. I arrived too early and was not allowed to check my luggage, so I was stuck having to stand with my stack of bags in the corner while trying to keep the twins amused - not easy when you can't move around.

 

I also had not heard of this rule before. I thought the earlier I got to the airport, the better, so I figured we'd check our luggage and go have breakfast. The best laid plans....

 

Best,

Mia

[kitty9]

Many airlines won't allow you to check in more than 3 hours before your flight departs. That has happened to me for flights on United, Northwest, Delta and Midwest out of FLL. It's four hours for an international flight. Also, I'm not certain on this, but I believe to use the ship check in, your flight must be before a certain hour, and I think it's 2pm, so with a later flight, they won't allow you to use that luggage service.

[wrp96]

Also, I'm not certain on this, but I believe to use the ship check in, your flight must be before a certain hour, and I think it's 2pm, so with a later flight, they won't allow you to use that luggage service.

 

Darcie, the RCCL service is for flights after a certain hour (usually around 11am or 12pm) up until flights that depart at 11:59pm that day.

[crusinmama06]

The earliest you can check in for a flight at FLL is 4 hours in advance. For some airlines (Spirit, US Air, and a few others) it is only 2-3 hours in advance. You can still enter the airport but you'll be stuck outside security waiting to get in line to wait to check in if you arrive too early at FLL.

 

Yeah that ;) Thanks Wrona! I knew I wasn't imagining things...lol. :)

[megr1125]

Yeah that ;) Thanks Wrona! I knew I wasn't imagining things...lol. :)

 

 

...and since in most A/Ps, all the good food is PAST security, you are not going to have much, if any, choice for food!

[larronry]

I went to the airport site to look at their restaurant listing because they used to have restaurants before security which of course I no longer pay attention to. Anyway I found this information about baggage storage:

http://www.broward.org/airport/airport_services.htm#Storage

 

Here is another good link:

http://www.broward.org/airport/airport_restaurants.htm

[wrp96]

...and since in most A/Ps, all the good food is PAST security, you are not going to have much, if any, choice for food!

 

Meg, most of the restaurants at FLL are outside security. But when I was there in February the line for most of them was over an hour long because the airport was packed. There are very few restaurants within security at FLL.

[Paleochick]

I'd still check with Larry's Limo in FLL. They have a website and will give you a free quote for your group for a certain amount of time. They took us to Outdoor World and the Fishing Museum. They are in the same parking lot. We had a fantastic time at both places and ate lunch at Islamorada Fish Co (yum!). All of this is together and less than 10 minutes from the airport.

 

How about renting a large 18 passenger van. Go hang out at Outdoor World (we fed fish, took a boardwalk to some alligators, did all sorts of activities at the fish museum (great for kids!), ate, wandered the Bass Pro Shop, etc.). It was perfect. When we checked in at the airport, we didn't have any lines. Apparently when all the cruiseship passengers arrive at the airport at once, there's an hour and 45 minute wait at security. We heard this from someone on our flight who didn't kill time elsewhere. They went straight to the airport. We had a blast at Outdoor World. There's something there for everyone and plenty of spaces for people to relax or explore. There are less expensive ways of getting here with your luggage than a limo service. Rent a car for 24 hours and return it early. Take a shuttle or a taxi (1 person only) to the rental cars/vans after disembarking. It's SO close to the airport...it's really easy at FLL.

[live4vacation]

We had a 4:30 pm flight in April out of FLL and too were unsure about what to do. We ended up doing the early walk off and got to the airport around 9am. No one would check us in because we were so early, we could not even pull up our info on the kiosk. We took all our stuff outside and talked one of the guys into checking us in, not to mention gave him a huge tip. He did tell us there was luggage storage at the airport for $5 a bag. FLL gets crazy with all the cruise passengers coming/going and it is a pretty small airport so stay away from there as long as you can. Good luck!!